Bellingham health officials on lookout for herbal incense

Sunday

May 25, 2014 at 5:48 PMMay 25, 2014 at 5:48 PM

By Matt TotaDaily News Staff

BELLINGHAM — The Board of Health is cracking down on the sale of herbal incense, a legal intoxicant that can have powerful hallucinatory effects when consumed.A health inspector this summer will conduct several compliance checks of businesses holding tobacco permits, looking for those selling botanical incense; the board considers it a "mind-altering substance."Last year, board members voted to ban the sale of the incense and synthetic marijuana as well as cigarette rolling machines and hookah bars, during a review of the town’s outdated tobacco regulations.According to a 2012 article in the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine, such substances are labeled "not for human consumption" to avoid federal regulation."In reality," the article said, "they are powerful psychoactive drugs, with effects that mimic those of more commonly abused drugs such as amphetamines and marijuana."The Worcester County District Attorney’s office this year asked police departments to be on the lookout for legal intoxicants.Mike Catalano, a town health official, said he has since cited at least one shop for selling the incense. "They sell it in all kinds of flavors, including watermelon," he said.Rather than burning the incense as intended, people — most often teenagers — purchase it to snort, Catalano said.In addition to the crackdown on botanical incense, the board will begin sting operations aimed at catching businesses that sell cigarettes or other tobacco products to people under 18 years old."We want to start doing these four times a year," Catalano said.An article on the May 28 Town Meeting warrant would authorize the board to use money collected from permits to fund its tobacco regulation enforcement efforts.Depending on their history, businesses found in violation can face fines of up to $500, Catalano said. Repeat offenders could have their licenses suspended.Matt Tota can be reached at 508-634-7521 or mtota@wickedlocal.com.